ANCHORAGE, Alaska—
The Environmental Protection Agency says Usibelli Coal Mine, Inc., will pay a $60,000 penalty to resolve water permit violations and unpermitted discharges.The EPA says the mine had 11 unpermitted discharges into the Nenana River, Hoseanna Creek, Sanderson Creek and Francis Creek between April 2007 and July 2010.
The agency also says the mine had 10 violations of its discharge permit limits during that time.
Usibelli Coal owns an open pit coal mine near Healy about 78 miles southwest of Fairbanks.
Edward Kowalski of the EPA's regional compliance office says many of the discharges could have been minimized or avoided by using and maintaining best management practices.
